EAT TO LIVE - any followers

i LOVE Dr Joel Fuhrman. His appearance on Dr Oz(not a fan of Dr Oz btw lol) is what got me started on this journey. In a year I've lost 91 lbs. I've had my ups and downs for sure, and I don't follow his diet to the "T" but I definitely do my best to make sure that veggies are 80% of my diet.

My first few days were really difficult. The want for bread and refined over processed foods eventually went away. I'm very much in control of my cravings now which was not something I could say last year. I'm on MFP now as I still have a ways to go to achieve my ideal weight goal, but he was definitely the factor that catapulted me to this point.

Good luck with it!!! and please feel free to add me!

I finished my first week on Monday. Lost 10.4 pounds and 6.5", but this week I haven't lost anything yet. I know it was water weight, but I want to see those results. I admit I won't be following the plan to the fullest next week cause we will be on vacation. I have to say, I'm looking forward to all of the good food I've been missing. In moderation of course! Any ideas on week 2 help?

I am almost at my year mark. I didn't have a lot to lose but nothing seemed to be working even though I was exercising regularly. I gave the ETL diet a try because I saw it on dr oz. I was really sceptical but the book won me over. I have not regretted a moment of my decision. I was able to lose 20 pounds quite easily. I followed the diet strictly for several months. Now that I have hit my goal weight I take days off here and there and most days I don't follow it perfectly. But the weight stays off. I am a marathon runner and this diet gives me plenty of energy. I watch my calories on here to make sure I am eating enough and I don't seem to have problems. This diet has helped me conquer my food addictions and I owe a lot to it.

OMG larelarry, that doughnut or bagel concoction looks disgusting. What is that?!?!?

I've been doing ETL for a week (with a couple of minor cheats -- feta on my salad once or twice). Maybe that is something that would have looked good to me a week ago? Feeling great. I'm doing it primarily to clean up my diet, get rid of the addictions, be healthy, but loving the weight loss results. Down 7.5 pounds and it's day 6 today.

There's an ETL group on here to join.

I'm not specifically ETL myself, but I do have the book. I had too hard a time eating enough veggies when I tried it out. It's possible I just tried it at the wrong time and wasn't ready for it and I may try it again later — if what I'm currently doing instead ever stops working for me. Right now I'm doing Dr. McDougall's "Starch Solution" diet and I love it so far.

I consider all whole foods, plant-based, low fat type diets (such as those touted by Fuhrman, McDougall, Esselstyn, Campbell, Ornish, etc) to be different flavors of the same basic theme, just tweaked a little differently for different tastes, and I'm a huge fan of starches so Starch Solution seems to be easiest for me out of the variants I've tried so far. All the same — I consider us diet brethren!

I've been steadily losing about half a pound a day since I just started my diet. It will probably taper off in a bit, but I am so full and satisfied so I am exceptionally happy right now. It feels like it's finally "just clicked".

I'd love more friends who are following similar diets, if you (or anyone else similar) is wanting a new friend. =D

I have been on ETL since March and love it! I was a junk food veg and now I am a Greenie! I stumble daily and I learn from each and every one! I love Dr. Fs site and have found a number of discussions in the Forums that really keep me motivated! Like The Healing Garden...we support each other unconditionally. One woman has lost 120 lbs! With 20 more to go.

I also frequent fatfreevegan.com for excellent pro ETL recipes. And the Yahoo Group ETL is especially helpful with food and recipe questions.

If I feel at all weak, I watch anyone of a number of vegan documentaries on Netflix to boost me back up! I want to eat well but I also do not want to harm animals for food.

Real Life Saving Successes:
I am down 2 sizes, with that nasty mid section shrinking daily
I halved my BP med
I dropped pain meds for arthritis
I dropped Nexium for GERD
I never have stomach aches after eating...previously this was common
I left behind cravings for diet soda, bread, processed food, oily stuff, salty stuff. I took on a challenge a week from December to March.
I attended a picnic at my uncles last week and NONE of the crappy food called to me! YEAH! I ate my healthy greens and veg burger!
My complexion has really changed for the better and the puffiness under my eyes has disappeared.
BTW, I am 61, ride my horse every day, hike with my dog. In 2000 I had what I now know was a preventable heart attack. I was 48. Because of the scar tissue, I probably will need an implanted defibrillator in case I have tachycardia.

I hope my experience will encourage you to study all the mentioned books and documentaries, drop your trigger foods and get on with life! For me, Dr. F's background and nutritional expertise is 100% reliable. Finally I have a clear path forward. His Eat for Health lays out three plans to get you closer to Eat For Life. I am never "perfect" but I am always improving.

With much love,
Dawn

I just started it this week. I have not been 100%, but still very close. Unfortunately, I have been steadily gaining. I'm not sure why other than eating too many nuts? I haven't been tracking my calories or following the menus laid out in the book. What I have been doing is mixing and matching the meals based upon what I have in the house after spending almost $200 to stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables at Costco, Trader Joe's and my supermarket. We have already gone through a lot of the produce we bought. I had a lot of soup from day one and have had that the past few nights for dinner and the pita for lunch. I love the smoothies and so does my son, who is following a modified version. My son has lost 3 pounds so far and has not suffered any energy loss.

Has anyone bought a membership on his website? Bought the cooking DVD?

I have a membership that gives me access to the teleconferences, but not ask the doctor. I am purchasing the 10 DVD set for Immersion for $99 as it was recommended by a number of online friends. I just flood myself with the info daily!

so happy you are turning your son on to good eating. My grown kids were raised healthy vegetarians and now they are healthy vegans as it my grand daughter! No one has trigger foods, cravings or food addictions! it stopped with me.

I,did read one Heads Up from Chef AJ who tried to eat everything she put in her morning smoothie.,She couldn't eat it all. that was why her calories were high. Once corrected ... eliminating the smoothie....she lost her final 30 lbs. I only have a Brazil nut (selenium) and a couple walnuts (Omega 3) for nuts, but always add a T of seeds to salad or anything raw to assure I,get all the nutrients.

I keep starches to 0-1 servings because I find them to be trigger foods for me. McDonagal would send me to the moon!

With summer I enjoy large mixed green salads with some additional veg and a homemade dressing or watered down hummus for ALL meals! If you had showed me a video of this in March, I would have said that just won't happen! the focus on greens seems to diminish cravings and retrain my taste buds. Perhaps because it is so much Fiber? I really try to chew chew chew!

I,routinely spend $50-70 per week at the local organic farm where I try to get most of my produce. Then Trader Joes, then Whole Foods as my last resort store! Rancho Gordo sends me heirloom beans every three months now that I have a pressure cooker.....that I LUV second only to my Vita Mix!

I keep avocados to a minimum too, like one quarter is a serving. although we don't count calories, you may just want to check,them here on MFP. Maybe that will give you some insight?

Dawn

Thanks for the advice. I didn't see this before my last post. I need to change my settings so newest posts are first.

Sav